Month: November 2022

Gurugram: The 8th Annual Pramerica Spirit of Community Awards (SOCA) hosted by DHFL Pramerica Life Insurance (DPLI) felicitated 29 school students for their extraordinary efforts in the area of community service at a ceremony in Gurugram. These finalists were shortlisted from over 4000 applications received in a nationwide search for the country’s top student volunteers. Programme Ambassador, Olympic Medalist and Former World No.1 Badminton Player, Saina Nehwal was the Chief Guest at the event.

The prestigious awards programme introduced in 2010 is the India chapter of the Spirit of Community Awards, the largest youth recognition programme in the United States based exclusively on volunteer service.

The top honours in the Individual Category went to Ishita Mangla a Class XI student of Delhi Public School, RK Puram, New Delhi, for her initiative, ‘Sunain’ that diagnoses and treats children with amblyopia and poor visual acuity and Banupriya S., a Class VIII student of P.U.M.S (SSA), Kalachery West, Thiruvarur, Tamil Nadu for fighting against the beliefs and superstitions attached to menstruation in her village. Both the winners were presented with Gold medallions, Certificates of Excellence, a cash prize of Rs. 50,000 each and a return trip to Washington, D.C. While in Washington, D.C., they will represent India in the felicitation ceremonies for Spirit of Community Award winners from all participating countries.

A group of five students, Ashwini Singh, Lakhpat Singh, Rahul, Sumit Singh and Sunil Singh from Govt. Higher Secondary School, Kotra, Rajasthan were declared winners in the Group Category for organizing an effective and sustainable campaign to spread awareness about water management and conservation. They were presented with Gold medallions, Certificates of Excellence and a cash prize of Rs. 50,000 to be shared among them.

14 other well deserving finalists in the Individual Category and two more in the Group Category received Certificates of Achievement and Silver medallions.

Addressing the finalists at the awards ceremony, Mr. Anoop Pabby, MD & CEO, DPLI said, “Through SOCA, we identify and recognize young volunteers like you who have made a significant difference in society through their community service work. You have taken the initiative to find causes to support that have impacted the lives of many and have not let age come in the way of your contribution. I congratulate you for your incredible achievements and hope that you will continue the good work you are doing.”

He added, “I believe that every child has the potential to bring a positive change. All they need is motivation and a push in the right direction. I am sure that your remarkable efforts will inspire more and more children to give back to the communities they live in.” Speaking at the awards ceremony, Programme Ambassador, Saina Nehwal, said, “It is an honour for me to be associated with SOCA for the second consecutive year. Children are our future and encouraging their efforts to give back to society at a young age is a very good initiative. I am impressed by the enterprising ability of the applicants to start these community projects. Their hard work and dedication is an inspiration for other children and I wish them the best for their future.”

The two national winners were selected by an eminent jury panel comprising Prof. Anita Rampal, Professor & Former Dean, Faculty of Education, Delhi University; Ms. Shovana Narayan, World renowned Kathak dancer; Ms. Richa Anirudh, Journalist & a well-known face of Hindi Television; Mr. Santanu Mishra, Co-Founder and Executive Trustee, Smile Foundation; Ms. Soha Moitra, Director of the Northern Region & the Volunteer Action division, CRY; Mr. Kapil Pandey, Founder and President, The Kutumb Foundation; and Ms. Shilpa Dureja Puri, Director Marketing – Digital & Experiential, Microsoft India.

The national winners will travel to Washington, D.C. in end April to be a part of the gala award ceremony held at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. They would also be taken on a tour of the capitol’s historic monuments and landmarks and enjoy a festive dinner cruise on the Potomac River. Moreover, there will be plenty of opportunities for these students to share their experiences and ideas with volunteers from other participating countries.

Toonz Retail joined hands with Smile Foundation for the Smile Foundation show with Pune Fashion Week as Kids Wear Partner where they showcased their new collection.

‘Superyoung’ the kids brand from the house of Toonz Retail, styled 12 girls of Smile Foundation who walked the ramp along with known women personalities and models. Toonz Retail also supported education for 5 girl children from Smile Foundation.

The line of outfits consisted of pretty dresses, skirts, shorts, crop tops, dungarees and jumpsuits amongst others for girls. Nature inspired theme merged with Wild West rodeo look with an emphasis on autumn florals and quirky conversational prints adding a touch of folk with embellishments for girls capsule. Showcasing some of the best styles in kids’ fashion, the trendy clothing brand is high in quality.

“We thank Toonz for collaborating with us for Pune Fashion Week and dressing our kids in their clothes to shine on the ramp”, shared Sanjeev Dham, COO, Smile Foundation.

Sharad Venkta, MD & CEO, Toonz Retail India Pvt. Ltd said, “We are happy to associate with Smile Foundation for their great initiative ‘She Can Fly’ to support Girl Child education. As a brand, we strongly believe in the cause and are happy to support the education of 5 girl children from Smile Foundation for the year. We feel that it’s important to encourage education amongst children, especially girl child and give them an equal opportunity to make their career”. He further added, “The kids were looking adorable in our Superyoung collection”.

As a socially-responsible corporate house, Phoenix Marketcity has always been delighted to partner with Smile Foundation, an NGO that works to help improve the state of education, healthcare and women’s rights, across the country. Several unique events have been hosted previously at the shopping hub, in association with the organization.

‘Ramp for Champs’, a cause-based celebrity fashion show, is one such initiative by the foundation. It is designed to spread awareness about the importance of education for underprivileged children. Held on January 13 at the mall, it was choreographed by Bengaluru’s very own fashion guru, Prasad Bidapa.

The show featured models, Bollywood actress Huma Qureshi, noted personalities from various walks of life and some children. Gajendra Singh Rathore – Centre Director at the mall – said, “Phoenix Marketcity is a socially responsible corporate, we have always believed in the concept of giving back to society. And in association with the foundation, we have organized some wonderful events for the betterment of underprivileged children and the society at large.”

The mall also hosted ‘Cook for a Smile’, another initiative by the foundation, as part of its ‘Nutrition for Education’ campaign, with a mission to bring about a positive change in the lives of children from marginalized backgrounds. On September 2, the sixth edition of the event took place at the mall, where eight boardroom leaders shed their suits and donned aprons, to battle it out over a cook-off with the help of talented young children from the foundation. Celebrity chef Vikas Khanna hosted the event and remarked on the efforts made by the foundation and the shopping hub towards providing nutritious and healthy food to children in need.

Sanjeev Dham – COO at Smile Foundation, says, “It has been a privilege to have the corporate house as the presenting partner for two of our flagship initiatives – ‘Ramp for Champs’ and ‘Cook for a Smile’. Their commitment and support towards the nutrition and education of children across India has helped us take the cause to a wider audience, making our movement of change stronger every day. We appreciate the heartwarming contribution and hope to spread many more smiles together with them in the years to come.”

The showstopper, Huma Qureshi, looked stunning as ever as she walked the ramp hand in hand with the lovely kids of Smile Foundation. The event ended with a speech from Huma where she praised Phoenix Marketcity Bangalore and Smile Foundation for putting their efforts in this heartwarming initiative.